Israel Matzav

Convicted felon behind 'Palestinian' flag at Paterson city hall

Khader Abuassab is an unusual name – in fact, there is apparently only one listed in the United States: he resides in Paterson, New Jersey.  Abuassab was the one who placed ads in Arabic newspapers about the Palestinian American Day celebration and he texted invitations to friends, community leaders, politicians and law enforcement officials. According to Abuassab, South Paterson is known as “little Ramallah,” and he felt it was important for the Arab Palestinian community to be recognized much like any other local ethnic community.

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So who is Abuassab?

According to a Feb. 2012 Press TV interview, Khader Abuassab has served on the Paterson Board of Education and has run for City Council.

In the spring of 2012, when an Associated Press series disclosed the practice by the New York Police Department of surveillance of Muslims at businesses, universities and mosques in the greater New York area, Khader Abuassab told Muslims not to cooperate with the authorities.

He was indignant that Muslims, who are “an important part of Paterson’s diverse community” had been “spied on or suspected.”  He declared that Muslim Americans “certainly don’t have to defend their citizenry to anyone.”

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In 2002 Khader Abuassab pled guilty to having racked up more than $615,000 in credit card fraud, using 40 different credit cards to circumvent credit limits on the cards, and then filing for bankruptcy to erase the debts. Abuassab admitted he had not intended to pay for the things he charged.

In 2004, Abuassab was sentenced to 13 months in prison, with two additional years of supervised release.  In addition, Abuassab was ordered by the federal district court judge in New Jersey to pay $620,000 in restitution. No information was readily available about what Abuassab had originally used the money for, and whether it had all been paid back.

What is known is that after sentencing, Abuassab sought a delay of his incarceration date so that he could “travel to Mecca.” That request was denied by the government.

Labels: American Muslims, Bill Pascrell, crime, illegal immigration, Palestinians, Passaic

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:12 PM